We’ve been saying it for a while now: Elisa Longo Borghini often deserves front-page headlines in the Italian – and international – sports press. Today, she proved exactly why on the Queen Stage of the Giro d’Italia Women 2025, which finished atop the fearsome Monte Nerone. She had 16 seconds to make up on Marlen Reusser (Movistar), who had looked nearly untouchable on all terrain so far, including the climbs.
In the past few days, Longo Borghini had tried several times to shake her rival, but each move was met with a strong response from the Swiss powerhouse. On Monte Nerone, she was ready to try again, but just before the base of the final climb, a small opportunity opened up, and she didn’t hesitate. That’s what champions do. “Sometimes you have to dare,” she said at the finish. On the descent before the climb, she and teammate Silvia Persico found themselves with a small gap on the Maglia Rosa group. “At that point,” Elisa explained, “I told Silvia to go all out. It’s always better to hit the climb with even a few seconds’ advantage”.
By the time they reached the foot of Monte Nerone, she had 20 seconds in hand. A few kilometers into the climb – after a tremendous effort from Persico – that lead had grown to 50 seconds. The hesitation behind proved costly for Reusser, who threw everything she had at the chase with the help of her team, but couldn’t close the gap to the Italian national champion of UAE Team ADQ.
But one rider could: the tireless Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance–Soudal), giant in name and in fact. She launched a blistering attack from the Maglia Rosa group on the steepest section of the climb, quickly bridged across to Longo Borghini, and then dropped her too, powering away to claim her second stage win of this Giro. “I wanted to show that the win at Pianezze wasn’t just a one-off,” she said. Mission accomplished. Unfortunately for her, the 1’42” lost in the echelon stage ended up costing her the chance to wear the Maglia Rosa. Still, she climbed up to third overall in the general classification.
And it was Elisa Longo Borghini who took over the Maglia Rosa, reclaiming the iconic jersey she last wore after winning the Giro a year ago. Courage, instinct, heart, generosity – that’s Elisa in a nutshell. Upon learning she had taken the lead, she broke into tears at the finish. So did Reusser, for entirely different reasons – she had worn pink for so many days and come so close to overall victory. It was the Giro d’Italia Women summed up in its two most iconic faces.
And tomorrow, the showdown continues on the world championship circuit in Imola, where in 2020, the rainbow jersey went to Anna Van der Breggen, with Longo Borghini third and Reusser tenth. “Defend? Yes,” Elisa said, “but maybe… I’ll attack too”. Spoken like a true Maglia Rosa.
